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Harlequins return to the city of their most recent European triumph when they face Cardiff Blues in the European Rugby Challenge Cup. - 17/11/2015 12:57
Harlequins return to the city of their most recent European triumph when they face Cardiff Blues in the European Rugby Challenge Cup.
Quins head to the Welsh capital for the first time since Chris Robshaw lifted this trophy in 2011 following victory in the final over Stade Francais. And the England captain has handed the club a major boost this week by signing a new contract.
He stepped off the bench in the opening game of this year’s tournament, last week, and scored the last of Quins’ six tries in their 41-18 home win over Montpellier. Now he is preparing for another big back row tussle with rival Welsh World Cup captain, Sam Warburton.
Danny Care and Ollie Lindsay-Hague had already crossed earlier in the opening night triumph at the Twickneham Stoop, but the night belonged to the Quins back-row with Jack Clifford, Luke Wallace and Nick Easter all scoring against the French before Robshaw completed a full-house.
However Quins have not won a European tie at the BT Sports Arms Park in 18 years following defeats in 2009, 2008 and a draw in 1999. Their 2011 title triumph was at the city’s football ground, Cardiff City Stadium, and just 12 months after Cardiff had won the cup.
And this week Robshaw could well be reunited with his Welsh counterpart Sam Warburton. The last time these players met was in the World Cup when Warburton skippered Wales to a dramatic 25-22 win at Twickenham.
Warburton was integral to the Blues performance in Italy last week when they registered their biggest away win in Europe. Their 50-9 win over Calvisano was also enough to overtake Quins at the top of Pool 3.
“We wanted to make a big start in Europe and it was pleasing to get a record score but we are fully aware we face very different opponents after a short turn-around. Quins are clearly the team of the pool judging by their performance against Montpellier,” said new Blues head coach Danny Wilson.
“Now it’s about building on that win in attack and defence for the rest of the tournament.”
Match Facts
- Cardiff have won three of their four matches against English sides in the Challenge Cup to date, though their last meeting against opposition from England was a 34-23 loss to London Irish.
- Cardiff have won all three home matches in the Challenge Cup, outscoring their opposition 165-40 in those games.
- These teams have never clashed in the Challenge Cup, however they have met eight times in the Champions Cup with Cardiff winning five games to Harlequins’ one (D2).
- Harlequins have won all four games against Welsh clubs in the Challenge Cup averaging 42 points per game in that run.
- Harlequins lost their last away fixture in the Challenge Cup but haven’t lost consecutive away matches since 2003/2004.
Dopo due giornate di Challenge Cup i londinesi sono gli unici a 10 punti. Seconda vittoria anche per Edimburgo
Danny Care clinched a bonus-point win for Harlequins against 14-man Cardiff Blues.
Care scurried over in the final play of the game to seal a second successive win in the European Challenge Cup. Two tries in as many minutes set Quins on course early in the second half after trailing 6-3 at half-time.
Tim Visser raced clear from an interception before Ollie Lindsay-Hague followed. Charlie Walker added a third while Cardiff replied through a late Sam Hobbs try despite a red card for veteran hooker Matthew Rees for stamping on Nick Easter late on.
Conor O'Shea’s bold move to rest several key players paid off though he may have regretted giving Chris Robshaw the evening off. For starters Cardiff’s latest young openside product, Ellis Jenkins, dominated the breakdown after replacing his mentor Sam Warburton, who withdrew through illness.
Worse still for Quins was losing two back-rows inside 30 minutes. James Chisholm limped off with an ankle injury. Jack Clifford was then carried off, while taking oxygen, after he was knocked clean-out in a clash of heads with Jenkins. By then Patchell had already kicked Cardiff into an early 6-0 lead after Lloyd Williams came within inches of squeezing over close to the posts.
Botica replied at the second time of asking though promising breaks by Nick Easter, Charlie Walker and Matt Hopper went unfinished. Trailing 6-3 at the break, Harlequins came storming out of the blocks to lead 20-6 within 11 minutes of the second-half.
Botica converted a second penalty after another strong burst by Dave Ward before Quins then twice caught Cardiff in two minutes. Visser anticipated Kristian Dacey’s delivery, plucked the ball from Josh Turnbull’s grasp and then fended off Blaine Scully with a strong arm to race clear from 50 yards out.
No sooner had Botica converted from in front of the posts than he was slipping an inside pass for Lindsay-Hague to score from a classic counter-attack. Walker latched onto Care’s break though Cardiff earned a penalty try when Quins dragged down a lineout drive 11 minutes from time.
Replacement Rees got his marching orders on 74 minutes yet Cardiff still scored next when prop Hobbs crashed over from close range in the final minute. Cardiff were set to launch a final bid at an unlikely win only for Care to slip away from a ruck to score unopposed in injury time.
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